The present invention relates to an ultrasonic imaging apparatus, and particularly to an ultrasonic imaging apparatus which implements repeatedly and intermittently the ultrasonic wave transmit/receive operation of scanning the inside of a subject with an ultrasonic wave and receiving an echo of the ultrasonic wave, with a predetermined resting period being interposed between operations.
Ultrasonic imaging utilizes the echo of an ultrasonic wave which is radiated to the inside of a subject to produce a tomographic image of the subject, and displays a resulting B-mode image. It also utilizes the Doppler shift of the ultrasonic echo to produce an image of the dynamic state of a blood flow or the like, and displays a resulting color Doppler image.
If it is needed to raise the magnitude of echo, the region of interest is filled with contrast agent by utilization of the blood flow. The contrast agent is a mass of fine bubbles having a diameter of several xcexcm.
The contrast agent dissolves by being hit by an ultrasonic wave and thereafter does not produce an echo, and therefore next scanning is carried out by being timed so that the imaging portion is filled with contrast agent again.
On this account, ultrasonic imaging based on the use of contrast agent implements the intermittent scanning having a resting period of several seconds to several tens of seconds in each operation cycle. A tomographic image produced by each scanning is displayed as a frozen image, and it is revised at each scan-imaging.
In the intermittent scanning operation, the operator of ultrasonic imaging apparatus must keep to put the ultrasonic probe on the imaging portion of the subject preparatory to the next scanning, and it is a hard work for the operator to stay tight even during the resting period of intermittent scanning.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to accomplish an ultrasonic imaging apparatus which relieves the operator""s duty in the intermittent scanning operation.
The present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems resides in an ultrasonic imaging apparatus comprising ultrasonic wave transmission/reception means which implements repeatedly and intermittently ultrasonic wave transmission/reception operations of scanning the inside of a subject with an ultrasonic wave and receiving an echo of the ultrasonic wave, with a predetermined resting period being interposed between operations, imaging means which produces an image based on the received echo, display means which displays the image, and indication means which indicates the length of preceding time which lasts up to the next scanning start time.
According to this invention, the preceding time length until the next scanning start time is indicated, and the operator can anticipate the start time of ultrasonic wave transmission/reception accurately and can relax and wait until then.
By displaying the preceding time length on a graph, the operator can recognize the preceding time length in analog fashion.
By displaying the preceding time length in terms of hues, the operator can recognize the preceding time length in steps.
By displaying the preceding time length numerically, the operator can recognize the preceding time length in digital fashion.
By displaying the preceding time length acoustically, both the operator and the person under test can recognize the preceding time length.
The present invention seen from another viewpoint for solving the above-mentioned problem resides in an ultrasonic imaging method which is characterized by implementing repeatedly and intermittently ultrasonic wave transmission/reception operations of scanning the inside of a subject with an ultrasonic wave and receiving an echo of the ultrasonic wave, with a predetermined resting period being interposed between operations, producing an image based on the received echo and displaying the image, and indicating the length of preceding time which lasts up to the next scanning start time. The invention of this viewpoint can achieve the same effectiveness as described above.
Therefore, the present invention can accomplish the ultrasonic imaging apparatus which relieves the operator""s duty in carrying out the intermittent scanning.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.